Transfer to Finished DVD

The easiest way to digitize your video tapes is to transfer them to DVDs. You drop off or mail your video tapes and you get back a finished DVD that you can pop into your player right away. Send to grandma, great-aunt, and all of you are reliving the good times all over again.

There are many companies offering this service. Some places let you drop tapes off and some take tapes by mail only. If you do not feel comfortable putting precious video in the mail make sure the drop-off location you choose processes the tapes on-site and not mail it off. As for me, I trust Fedex/UPS and I’ve not lost a tape yet, touch wood.

Here are the services I have tried:

Ritz Camera Stores ($25). Check www.ritzcamera.com for retail locations)
www.homemoviedepot.com ($18)
www.yesvideo.com ($30)

When choosing a service, go through this checklist:

Do they use professional equipment? Don’t go with hobbyists whose equipment may damage your fragile tapes/film especially if they are over ten years old.
What tapes do they convert? They should accept all these formats:

Will the finished DVD play in your DVD player? The higher-end professional equipment produce DVDs that play in 96% of players in the market.
Do they print the DVD title or do they use stickers. Direct printing is better because if stickers are not applied with 100% symmetry, the DVD may not play smoothly.
Does the price include a DVD menu with chapter points a.k.a. scene selection?
Is each chapter represented by a small clear picture (thumbnail) on the menu screen so you can navigate around easily? If the company says you got to click the Next and Previous button to get around, find another company. We live in a visual world, a DVD must have scene selections shown by thumbnail images.
Are the chapter points based on scene changes or by the clock? Chapter points based on scene changes makes for a better viewing experience as opposed to a chapter point every 3 minutes that may be smacked in the middle of Junior’s recital.
Are the chapter thumbnails shown on the DVD cover so you can pick up a DVD and know what’s in it without having to pop it into the player. Yes, the DVD title helps, but images will help me remember the content more easily.
How long before you get your finished DVD?
Do they guarantee their work? If you don’t like your finished DVD, can you get your money back? The reputable outfits say, “Absolutely!”

For those reasons and for the price,

Here's a Tip

10%OFF

Here's the link to the website: www.homemoviedepot.com The coupon code is: 10%OFF

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BEWARE!
This company (APM Studios) lost 2 of the three tapes I sent. They are saying that it's not their fault and that someone at UPS may have stolen them. (Stole only 2 of the three tapes…then carefully sealed back the envelope? Yeahhh right…)
I paid them to transfer three tapes even before they got them.
Our filmed honeymoon trip is now gone forever!
Plus, on their website it says 7 days turnaround but it took them 25 days to do the work.
Worst experience ever. I can't find any words to describe our anger to have lost these precious filmed memories.
It seems to be a legit company but, based on my experience, I would definabely recommend to avoid dealing with them and go local.

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i was wondering why go through all this trouble? i always burn them onto a dvd using a dvd recorder (which you can buy for less than $200)

or does that lower the quality?

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I heard that APM studios changed ownership recently and going through transitions. I've stopped using them myself. I've tried http://www.HomeMovieDepot.com and happy with the quality, my DVDs took a little over 2 weeks so not an option if you need the DVDs tomorrow, but a money saver -especially with the coupon code - if you're not in a rush.

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